The Clinique Black Honey collection celebrates a legendary lip product that has captivated beauty enthusiasts for decades. It all began with the viral Black Honey lip legend, and now, the collection expands to include three surprisingly flexible and universally flattering Honey shades.
The Genesis of a Legend: Black Honey Almost Lipstick
The story behind Clinique's cult classic, Black Honey Almost Lipstick, is a testament to innovation and enduring appeal. Launched in 1971, it was a bold departure from the bright, flashy colors of the disco era. Its deep, dark raisin hue initially intrigued and surprised, as it appeared goth-like in the tube.
However, the true magic of Black Honey lies in its transformative application. Upon contact with the lips, it develops into a sheer veil that enhances the natural lip color, making everyone's lips look amazing. This universal flattery is attributed to its perfectly calibrated blend of blue, red, and yellow pigments within a creamy, balmy base. It's more than a sheer gloss but less than a traditional lipstick, melting into the lips to create the best version of their natural shade. This unique characteristic has made it a consistent best-seller and a beloved product for all skin tones.
As Janet Pardo, Senior Vice President Product Development, notes, "Editors, celebrities, and everyone loved-and still loves!-Black Honey because it’s flattering on everyone. It’s magical. It makes your teeth look whiter, it makes your lips look gorgeous, and it’s very forgiving-you don’t even need a mirror when you put it on. It’s functional, yet so desirable."
From Gloss Pot to Iconic Tube: The Evolution of Black Honey
Black Honey's journey began not as a lipstick, but as a gloss pot. Clinique founder Carol Phillips named it Black Honey due to the texture of the gloss, which resembled a "yummy, gooey pot of honey." This initial iteration captured the essence of '70s beauty trends.
The product experienced a second breakthrough moment in 1989 with its debut as Almost Lipstick in Black Honey. This coincided with a period where women were increasingly juggling careers and family life, making convenience a key factor in their beauty choices. While the prevailing makeup trend favored full-coverage, intense color, Almost Lipstick offered a sophisticated alternative. Housed in a sleek, chic tube, it provided the flawless Black Honey color in a portable format that could be applied quickly.
Described as a cross between a gloss and a lipstick, Almost Lipstick offers an incredible wear experience. It provides shine without stickiness and imparts a "just-ate-a-plum" look, all while being easy to remove. Its enduring appeal is often compared to that of a chic, black turtleneck - effortless, confident, and always in style. Its ability to look great and subtly different on everyone has made it a coveted secret beauty weapon that people are eager to share with friends.
Why Black Honey is a Cult Classic
Decades after its initial launch, Black Honey remains unparalleled in its ability to deliver a "your-lips-but-better" color. Its success is deeply rooted in its unique color and formula. Makeup artist Tommy Napoli described it as "a sheer, moisturizing, red-raisin balm" that answered the need for a naturalistic, "you-but-better" traditional lipstick in the '70s, distinct from the makeup-heavy '60s.
The concept of a sheer lipstick might seem contradictory, but this is precisely what makes Black Honey so special. The nearly-black shade is universally flattering, regardless of the number of layers applied. Makeup artist Jewels Grogan explained that Black Honey's uniqueness lies in its universality, sitting "perfectly between a warm and cool tone."
A rave review from PopSugar by Breesays highlights its versatility: "I don't wear much lipstick, but I've been through about four tubes of this since I started wearing it. I like that it's not super-glossy, can be mixed with liner for a more dramatic look, and isn't impossible to get off."
A fascinating fact about its popularity is that seven tubes of Almost Lipstick in Black Honey are sold every minute, with many users reportedly keeping one in every bag.
Expanding the Honey Family: Nude Honey and Pink Honey
Building on the success of the original Black Honey, Clinique has expanded its Almost Lipstick repertoire with additional "Honey" shades, offering new ways to achieve that signature sheer, buildable color.
Introducing Nude Honey
Clinique's Nude Honey Almost Lipstick is described as "a soft mocha nude with a red undertone." Scott Miselnicky, vice president of global product development of Clinique Makeup, noted that this versatile shade, like its predecessor, incorporates both warm and cool pigments. It took 12 iterations to perfect the final version, which launched on June 20th at Ulta Beauty.
Nude Honey delivers the same sheer yet buildable tint and gleaming finish as Black Honey. Its formula is enriched with nourishing emollients, such as castor oil, known for its hydrating and lubricating properties.
The Return of Pink Honey
The third shade in the Almost Lipstick family is Pink Honey. Originally launched in 2015 as a limited-edition hue to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, it became a permanent market fixture in 2023. Pink Honey is a rosy shade that leans more nude than true pink, making it ideal for those who prefer to enhance their natural lip hue rather than dramatically alter it.
Comparing the Honey Shades: A Personal Perspective
When comparing Nude Honey to the other Almost Lipstick shades, Nude Honey is noticeably darker and deeper than Pink Honey. It bears a striking similarity to Black Honey, though on some lips, Nude Honey may lean more brick red, while Black Honey leans berry. Both are considered excellent, catering to different preferences.
One reviewer noted, "Nude Honey looks pink-beige on me, actually brightening up and evening out the tones of my lips, while Black Honey looks berry against my medium skin tone." However, a minor observation was that the formula can highlight lip lines for some users.
Another user, who typically prefers brighter lip colors, found Nude Honey to be a pleasant surprise. "The brown-ish nude is thankfully deep enough to add a subtle wash of color to my pinky lips." The hydrating nature of the Almost Lipstick formula means a lip balm is not needed beforehand, and it glides on smoothly and is buildable. The balm-like consistency means reapplication may be necessary after meals, but this is considered a minor trade-off for the comfortable wear.
Ultimately, while Black Honey remains a favorite for its impactful color and closeness to preferred lip shades, Nude Honey is recognized as a strong second choice for a more casual look. Pink Honey, while appealing for its rosy nude tone, might be too light for some.
Completing Your Look with the Honey Collection
The Clinique Black Honey collection offers more than just lip products. Users can complete their look with complementary skincare and makeup favorites designed to work harmoniously with the iconic Honey shades. Clinique.com exclusively offers more-to-love bundles featuring the most-wanted Honey makeup in buzziest shades: Black Honey, Pink Honey, and Nude Honey.
Clinique provides free standard shipping every day, with additional benefits for Smart Rewards members, including free shipping with no minimum purchase. Subscription orders also ship free, and members can earn points for full-size products, receive a surprise birthday gift, and more.
Where to Buy
Clinique's Nude Honey Almost Lipstick retails for $25 and is available at ulta.com. The entire collection, including Black Honey, Pink Honey, and Nude Honey, can be found exclusively at Clinique.com.